The term "soaker hose" refers to a flexible hose that allows water to exit the soaker hose continuously or intermittently along the axial length of the hose. Soaker hoses typically are used in landscaping applications to irrigate individual plants or planting areas or small grassy areas. Typical soaker hoses either are uniformly porous along the axial length of the hose to allow water to slowly seep through the wall of the hose, or have a plurality of apertures spaced apart axially along the length of the hose to permit water to flow from regularly intermittent portions of the hose.
One problem with conventional soaker hoses is that it is not possible to eliminate the flow of water from the hose in any particular axial region of the hose. Thus, for example, if the soaker hose is to be used to irrigate two planting areas separated by a sidewalk, the soaker hose must be placed across the sidewalk to irrigate both planting areas, thus undesirably causing water to flow onto the sidewalk. This drawback with known soaker hoses can cause wastage of water and creation of potentially slippery and dangerous walkways.